Grain loader attachment for vehicles



Aug. 1, 1950 w. J. Glr-:SE

GRAIN LOADER ATTACHMENT F'OR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 1, 194'?" .WIN

WAL 716/? J. G/SE Aug l, 1950 w. J. GIEsE 2,517,300

GRAIN LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES 4Filedauiy 1, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 HIIlllIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllll 414444755 .I G/Esf Y #im tPatented Aug. 1', 1950 GRAIN-LOADER ATTACHMENT nonr `VEHICLES WalterJ. Giese, Power, Munn ApplicatonJulyl, 1947, SerialNo. 758,238

This invention relates to a grain loader, and more particularly to a portable grain loader for handling loose materialsiin bulk, such as grains, and is particularly adaptable for use in loading or unloading railroad cars, granaries, andthe like.

It is the particularobject of the-finventionto construct a device-of the type described, that will be easily portable.

Another object of the invention is toconstruct"l a device of the type describedthat when used in unloading grain will automatically dig itself down until-al1 the material has been moved;`

Other objects will appear to those skilled in the art from a` reading of the following specification.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention ashereinafter claimed.` y

lWhile the invention is designated a grain loader, it is understood that it may be used equally well with coal, broken stone, sand, granulated sugar, and similar comminuted materials.

Figure 1 represents' a side elevation ofthe portable conveyor, when used in unloading grain from a granary to a vehicle.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the structure of Figure 1, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the unloading end of the conveyor.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the loading or inlet end of the conveyor.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the structure shown in Figure 5.

The conveyor or unloader In is designed to unload grain I I in a granary I2 into a Vehicle I3. The device IB comprises a chute having a loading or inlet end I5 and a discharge or unloading end i5. The device is generally of rectangular shape in cross section, and is of the proper size to be handled easily and to Amove the grain Il at the desired rate.

The loader' or conveyor II) comprises twoside walls I3 and I3, a fragmentary top wall 2I adja cent the discharge end I6, and a fragmentary bottom wall 22 extending from the discharge end I3 to substantially the mid-portion thereof to thereby form an opening for a purpose to be subsequently described. The bottom wall 22 comprises three sections, a xed section 24 adjacent the discharge end I6, and two sections 25` and 26 that are `hinged so as to be `foldable'about the fixed section 24,as indicated inFigure 3` of the drawings. When expanded, the sections 25 and 26 "arelheld in place -within thesidewalls- ^I8 and I9 by means of one or more-angular clamps 28 that are pivoted to the `side walls I8 and I3 and are-movable with respect thereto'tof-grip the foldable sectionsr25 and 26 `in-`placed The sidewalls lI8`andA I9V may bereinforcedY andpositioned by means of two or more inverted-Ueshaped brackets 29.`

An endless conveyor belt 30' ispositioned Within the device `I il `and is adapted torun longitudinally thereof. Attached to the surface of thebelt 3U is a series of transverse spades or buckets `3l of any desired shape, designed 4to move `the material. A pair ofl sprockets 33 and 34 mounted upon respective shafts, serve to support'the belt 3U. The belt 30 has two sprocket chains 35 and 36 attached thereto that are `adapted to mesh with the sprockets 33 and 34.` The shafts 38 and 39 of the sprockets 33A and 34, respectively, are journaled in the side walls IBand I9,and project therefrormfor apurpose to be described more particularly hereinafter.

A motor 40,' that may be either` gasoline or electric, is fastened on a platform 4I-supported on two transverse braces 42 and 43 `on` the upper edges of the sidewalls I8 and I9, in back of the top wall 2|. These braces 42 and 43 are adjustable longitudinally of the loader I0,.and for this purpose two runners 44 and 45' are secured to the ends of the braces `42 and 43 and are adapted to slide along .thel'upper edges oftheiside-walls IB and I9. These runners 44 and 45 project beyond the side walls I8 and I9, as indicated most clearly in Figure 2of"the drawings, `to prevent lateral dislodgment of the platform 4I and the motor 40. A power belt 4l runs fromthe motor 4i) to a pulley 48' xed on the projection of the sprocket shaft 39` that is `outside of. the side wall IB, to providemotor power for the conveyor belt 3U.

The discharge member I6 of the loader ID has an open longitudinal end 5I) and open bottom 5 Il. The discharge member. I6 isipivotable with respect to the. main. body ofthe loader III,` and for thispurpose is provided with a horizontal hinge 53 at its upper surface. The sides of the discharge member I6 .lie outside the side walls I8 and I9 ci'. the. mainportion of the loader II),V so that pivotalmovement of the discharge member I6 is not impeded.` A slotted plate 54 is hinged to the dischargemember I6, and a set screw 55 secured in theside wall I8 passesthrough the slot in the plate -54 and=maybe tightened-to hold the discharge end I6 in any desired position with respect to the body of the loader I0.

The shaft 3B of the sprocket 33 at the inlet end of the loader I is carried on two curved brackets 51 horizontally pivoted to the side walls I8 and I9 on the outside thereof. The side walls I8 and I9 are further provided with arcuate slots 53 concentric with the pivots of the brackets 5l, so that the shaft 38 may be moved back and forth through the slot 58 kto `provide proper tensioning of the conveyor belt 30. To hold the shaft 38 in such adjusted position, the brackets 5l are supplied with rods 59 pivoted thereto and passing through a suitable aperture in frames 6U fixed to the side Walls I8 and I9. A set screwA 62 and sliding sleeve 63 movable with respect to the rod 5S cooperate with the frames SU to keep each rod 59 in position.

The inlet end of the loader I0 is angularly positioned with respect to the main body of the loader I0 so that the endless conveyor belt 35 projects beneath the side walls iS- and i5 where there is no bottom wall 2N2. As a result, the comminuted material I I will be exposed to the action of the buckets 3| on the under side of the bottom strand of the endless belt 30. n In operation, therefore, the inlet. end I5 of the loader lil may be positioned anywhere on top of the pile of ma terial lI I, and the conveyor belt 3G will dig itself down to the bottom of the pile.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the con veyor belt 3D operates counter-clockwise. The free end of the section 26 of the bottom wall 22 may be provided with a lip BI to properly guide `the loaded lower strand of the belt 30 as it enters y 33. The guides 6R and 65 are positioned on horizontal pins GS, which may be adjustable with respect to the side walls I8 and I9.

The inlet end l5 of the loader I9 is provided with a handle IIl to facilitate carrying and positioning the loader I0.

In the operation of the device, the inlet end I5 is positioned on top ofthe granular material II in a warehouse or box vcar I2, so that the discharge end or member I5 projects over or into the vehicle I3. The motor 4E) is then started.

The sprockets 34 will be actuated to move the sprocket chains 35 and 3E, and the lower run of the belt 30 with its ,scoops or buckets 3| will travel through the opening in the bottom wall 22 and in its course of such travel will excavate the material I I and carry it around under its lower surface to be discharged through the end I6, A cleat lI may aid in positioning the loader ID with respect to the window sill or door sill of the structure I2.

The discharge end I6 ofthe loader I0 may be angularly positioned with respect to the main body thereof, as hereinbefore mentioned, and the shaft 38 of the sprocket 33 may also be adjusted in the slots V58 to provide the proper tension for the conveyor belt 30. Also, the motor 4I! may be moved longitudinally of ,the device on top of the side walls I8 and I9, depending on the size of the power belt 41. To obtain access tothe bottom of the loader I0, it is merely necessary to swing the catch 23 about its side Wall, and fold 4 the sections 26 and 25 about their hinges on the iixed section 24 of the bottom 22.

I claim:

1. A portable loader, comprising two side walls, a partial bottom wall, the said bottom wall including a plurality of hinged sections, means for holding the said sections in expanded position within the side walls, two horizontal shafts, means for supporting the horizontal shafts at the respective ends of the side walls, a sprocket on each shaft, an endless conveyor trained on the said sprockets, means for varying the distance between the said shafts to tension the conveyor, a motor mounted on top of the side walls for actuating one of the sprockets to drive the conveyor, the said motor being adjustable with respect to the side walls, the side walls being angularly positioned with respect to the line joining the sprockets, whereby a portion of the conveyor extends below the bottom edges of the side walls to engage the `material -to be loaded, and means at the discharge end of the loader for varying the angle of the said discharge end with respect to the main body of the loader.

2. A portable conveyor comprising a rectangular chute having an inlet end and a discharge end, shafts extending transversely through said chute, one near ,the inlet and one near the discharge end of the latter, a pair of sprockets on each shaft, an endless conveyor belt disposed around said sprockets and supported thereby, a power plant -rnounted on said chute, and means drivingly connecting said power plant to one of said shafts to draw said conveyor belt in a direction such that the lower portion of said belt moves in a direction from the inlet to the discharge end of said chute, said chute comprising a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel side walls, a top wall extending along the upper edges of said side walls adjacent the discharge end of said chute, and a bottom wall including a relatively iixed portion secured to said side walls adjacent the discharge end of said chute, at least one movable portion hinged to the end of said xed portion remote from the discharge end of said chute and detachably secured to said side walls, and a lip on the end of said bottom wall remote from the discharge end of said chute, said lip being inclined downwardly and toward the inlet end of said chute.

3. A portable'conveyor comprising a rectangular chute having an inlet end and a discharge end, shafts extending transversely through said chute, one near the inlet and one" near the discharge end of the latter, a pair of sprockets on each shaft, an endlessconveyor belt disposed around said sprockets and supported thereby, a power plant mounted on said chute, and means drivingly connecting said power plant to one of said shafts to draw said conveyor belt in a direction such that the lower portion of said belt moves in a direction from the inlet to the discharge end of said chute, said chute comprising a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel side walls each having an arcuate slot therein adjacent one end of said chute, said slots receiving the ends of the corresponding shafts, respective curved arms each pivoted at one end to a chute side wall adjacent the slot in the latter, and having respective shaft bearings thereon, means interconnected between each curved arm and the corresponding side wall to adjustably position said arms for regulating the tension on said conveyor belt, a top wall extending the top edges of saidside walls 'from the discharge end of said chute, a part of the length of said side walls, and a bottom wall extending from the' discharge end of said chute along the bottom said chute being provided with an opening in` the bottom thereof extending from the inlet 10 end inwardly to a point spaced from the dis-1 charge end thereof, a longitudinally extending endless conveyor positioned within said chute 'j and mounted in said chute for rotation about horizontal axes, and means operatively connected to one of said axes for driving said conveyor in a directionsuch that the lower run moves in a. direction from the inlet to the discharge end of said chute, the lower run of said conveyor in its course of movement from the inlet toward the discharge end projecting through the opening in the bottom wall of said chute to thereby excavate the grain adjacent thereto and convey the same toward and out of the discharge end of the chute.

WALTER, J. GIESE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 525,635 Trevithick Sept. 4, 1894 1,100,897 Makowski June 23, 1914 1,230,374 Brown et a1. June 19, 1917 2,332,729 Klosterman Oct. 26, 1943 2,378,658 Rensch June 19, 1945 2,401,465 Cwicig June 4, 1946 2,410,996 Patterson Nov. 12, 1946 2,458,031 Rome Jan. 4, 1949 

